This diary is about a woman who just wanted to assist her son to get a copy of his birth certificate (which had been lost), so he could enlist in the military. Not such a big undertaking, right? Gather the records required, shop up at the office, and get the copy.
This was not to be.
I do not know Bridget Odessa Davis personally, but I suspect that her name will soon be well known, as she did not deserve to hear the words of hate, once again, on the weekend of the national holiday honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, with Ms. Odessa Davis receiving an award for her community service this Sunday at a commemoration event honoring Dr. King's legacy.
Ms. Odessa Davis is an R.N., a published author of three books, a grandmother of 2, a cancer survivor, and still has the epithets of hate used when trying to conduct what should be a routine government transaction.
I will let her words tell the story - below is what she posted on her Facebook page yesterday.
FB Friends what would you do? Yesterday, I went to get a birth certificate for my son who wants to go into the military. He lost his birth certificate and I called the county where he was born and the woman told me to come in with my driver’s license, birth certificate and marriage license. I had all documents she requested including my current R.N. nursing license for 3 States, issued by each state and my passport.
I drove 1 hour from the Poconos to Hackettstown N.J. with my son, who is a very handsome 6’ 2” dark black man.
Upon entering the County building connected to a Police Station, the woman at the desk stands up and says "What do you want?” - looking at my son. I answered "Good morning, I called and I am here to get a birth certificate for my son, he lost his birth certificate and I spoke you and you said for me to come in with these documents to get his birth certificate."
The woman began to go through my documents, looking up at my son.
"Do you have a bank account?" She asked me. I responded - “what does that have to do with his birth certificate?” Her response - "I am asking the questions right now!”
At this time another heavy-set white woman enters the office and said "Go and get your bank statement while I work on getting his birth certificate." I said "here is my checkbook with my address on it." She looked at and said "Oh we don't have this bank here." I asked, “what banks do you have here?” She told me and I drove 25 minutes to the bank and retrieved my bank statements with my address on it as they requested and returned.
The heavy-set woman walked into the police area and came out with an officer - another police officer comes behind me with his hand on his gun.
I never got his birth certificate.
On my way out with my head down, I looked up at the officer and asked him “Why?” My son said, “mom let's go!” I looked back at the woman at the desk and she said, “you people seem so threatening, these niggers must think we are stupid!”
I work, pay taxes, and my son is looking to fight for the rights of America. I felt like I wanted to die. I feel like getting in the bed and never getting out! Why do you think they would not give me his birth certificate? Would this validate his existence at a different level? The bank teller could not believe that I needed his business card attached to my statement. By the way, my son had on hospital scrubs of mine, no baggy pants, a short haircut and a beautiful smile with his dimples and big eyes.
OMG!!! Pray for my strength! What would you do???